Naval Historywith Dr. Alex

Q&A · 58:04-58:57

Why an enormous first rate would merit screw conversion

A 170-gun first rate would be more likely to receive screw propulsion because its exceptional value justifies conversion, although its original construction demands later shipbuilding methods.

Age Of SailAlternate HistoryNaval InfrastructureShip ConversionShips of the LineSteam Propulsion
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Question

Would the size of a 170-gun Royal Navy first rate make it less likely to be converted to screw propulsion?

Short answer

No. Its value would make conversion more attractive, though the ship itself would probably need later construction techniques to be durable.

Notes

Extreme size would not make the hypothetical first rate less likely to receive screw propulsion. Its value and fighting power would instead give the navy a stronger reason to preserve and modernize it. The limiting issue comes earlier: building such a large wooden hull requires structural techniques that were not yet mature for the Napoleonic Wars. The panel allows that an earlier version might be technically possible, but it would probably be less durable than a later-built ship. The answer separates the incentives for modernizing a valuable vessel from the industrial ability to construct it in the first place.